I had applied to Shopify while under-qualified. The post said 2-5 years experience and I had very little, but I applied anyway because they stated potential is also a factor when hiring. I wasn't expecting to, but I got an email inviting me to meet them 2 weeks after I had initially applied. I went into the interview (which they aptly call a meeting) and was immediately told it would not be a typical interview. They gave me a tour of the facilities (holy crap, dat cafeteria) and we found a room and just chatted. Both interviewers present were both SUPER nice and genial, they just wanted to get to know me and how I thought about things it seemed. They asked me some work related questions, but they came up very naturally. They mostly asked questions about where I grew up, my life story, etc. When I asked them about the position, it was pretty clear I wasn't qualified. They said I'd hear back from them next week to see if I'd move forward with the interview process. They called back as promised, and I was told very kindly that they were going to move forward with someone else and encouraged me to apply to another job if it suited me. Overall, I'd say it was a very pleasant experience considering I wasn't really qualified for the job. They are true to their word that they give people with potential a chance and from what I saw they just want to hire the best. My advice to anyone interviewing for a position similar to this one is to just be yourself. They want to see who you are authentically and aren't interested in any rehearsed/robotic information. I would encourage anyone passionate enough about the position to apply regardless of qualification.

It's a weird interview process. Shopify tells you that it will be an unconventional interview, and it's nice to have some variation, but I can't really say I'm convinced that it works. The experience is like many others note: it starts with a phone call--a quick chat; just shooting the breeze and no hard or standard questions. Then, after a week or so, comes an in-person interview. It begins with a quick tour of the place and they'll ask you to take a drink from the fridge, and the interviewer will take whatever you choose. (I picked water because that's what I normally take, so I probably checked off the 'boring' box too quickly!) This interview emphasizes *you* and Shopify's *feel* of you. It's just a regular(ish) conversation and they tell you it'll be that way. There are no questions about skills or experience, just questions about your life, background, and story. ('Story' is the key word.) I don't think that the approach really makes a fair evaluation of one's skills for the job (it was a writing job and this is the first time that I wasn't asked to do a writing exercise) but it shows prospective employees that the workplace goes against the norm. I found that I kept catching myself trying to work my experience into the conversation, and I encourage you to avoid bringing up your past work unless they ask for it. The interviewer made a few references that indicated that she at least looked at my resume, anyways. Just talk and embellish. If anything, I recommend having a drink beforehand to loosen up. Also: they like it very casual, and I worry that I overdressed by wearing professional attire. Wear jeans. Everyone in the office wears jeans and a hoodie. Honestly, you're probably safe so long as you don't have blood or vomit all over yourself! It's a weird experience, but I'd consider applying again if something comes up.